Underframe and adjoining side wall structure of railway cars and similar vehicles



Aug. 28, 1951 G DEAN 2,565,678

UNDERFRAME AND ADJOINING SIDE WALL STRUCTURE- OF RAILWAY CARS AND SIMILAR VEHICLES Filed 001;. 24, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1951 I A. G. DEAN 2,565,678

UNDERFRAME. AND ADJOINING SIDE WALL STRUCTURE OF RAILWAY CARS AND SIMILAR VEHICLES Filed Oct. 24, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTOR 415M CT. Deam WQW A TTORNE Y Aug. 28, 1951 I A. G. DEAN 2,565,678

UNDERFRAME AND ADJOINING SIDE WALL STRUCTURE vOF RAILWAY CARS AND SIMILAR VEHICLES Filed Oct. 24, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 R 2 m A M M L A A m L z V m w, m 45V :wwfi y I wa L L +5 5 V V; "M M w .n 3.. 5/ m L c,

wQlb ert Cr. Dean. BY 7 ATTga EY Patented Aug. 28, 1951 UNDERFRAME AND ADJOINING SIDE WALL STRUCTURE, OF RAILWAY CARS AND SIM- ILAR VEHICLE 8 Albert G. Dean, Narberth, 'PaL, assignor to The Budd Company,'Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 24, 1947, Serial No. 782,002

10 Claims. (Cli 105-4397) The invention relates to railway cars andto the bodies of similar vehicles and, more particularly, to the underframe and adjoining side wall construction as well as to the connection between side wall and underframe. More specifically, the invention relates to a railway car or similar vehicle body composed of separately preassembled underframe and side wall units.

Among the objects of the invention is a structure of the indicated type which is of simple design, the parts of which are easily and simply made and assembled, which is of light weight, and which affords ample strength.

With the aforesaid objects in view, one feature of the invention consists in U-section side rails or sills for the underframe telescopingly fitting over the ends of vertically reinforced cross members and connected with an inner web of the sill structure and the posts of each side wall, said side wall sill structures extending downwardly below the underframe Sills and enclosing the vertical posts of the side walls on the inside, on the outside, and at the bottom.

The invention consists, furthermore, in the connection between underframe sill and side wall with the bolsters supporting the vehicle body on the wheeled trucks.

Furthermore, the invention consists in the formation of additional cross braces arranged between the bolsters and fitting between adjoining webs of the floor panel.

A still further feature of the invention resides in a box sectional step below a door opening affording a strengthening element for the side wall where the latter is weakened by the door opening.

The above and other features, advantages and objects of the invention will be more easily understood from the illustration of one embodiment in the attached drawing and from the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawing,

Figure l is a small-scale diagrammatic side elevation of a railway car;

Figure 2 is on the left-hand side a small-scale diagrammatic end elevation of the lower part of the railway car;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective and section along line 33 of Figure 1 on a larger scale showing the connection between the floor structure, the center sill, one side wall, and one of the cross bearers;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section along line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing on a larger scale one side margin of the underframe and the adjoining lower marginal portion of one side wall;

Figure 5 is a section along lines.5-5 of Figures 1 and 6 corresponding to Figure 4 showing the end of one of the bolster beams and its connectionto side sill and side wall;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section and inside elevation along line 6-6 of Figure 5 showing the bolster beam and the adjoining floor panels in section and the underframe side sill and adjoining side wall parts in inside elevation;

Figure 7 is a section in the plane of the rectangle shown by dot-and-dash line 6 in'Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section corresponding to Figure 4, taken along line 8-8 of Figure '9 at the location of one of the door openings and showing the formationof a step as reinforcing hollow sill structure; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary outside elevation on a larger'scale of the region surrounded in Figure 1 by dot-and-dash line 9.

The railway car illustrated in the drawing has an underframe U, side walls S, a roof R, and end walls E.

The underframe U comprises an end sill ID at and a bolster beam ll near each end, an end centersill member (not shown) interconnecting each end sill and bolster beam, and a sheet metal channel section center sill l2 inboard of and between the bolster beams. Secured to the top of the center sill I2 and of the end center sill members are shear panels comprising sheets I3 reinforced at longitudinally spaced intervals by upstanding profiles I l. The outer ends of the panels I3 and profiles l4 fit telescopinglybetween the upper walls l5 and the lower walls It of inwardly facing channel sections ll, each having a generally vertically arranged bottom wall Ill. The sections ll form underframe side sills and extend on both sides of the underframe uninterruptedly over the length of the car. Only the bottom wall I6 is cut out at the location'of the bolster beams, as will be pointed out later on.

sembly, project downwardly beyond the side sills I! or the underframe. The lower portions of the'posts 20, 2| are interconnected on their insides by a web 22 which constitutes part of the side wall structure and extends preferably without interruption over the entire length of the body. On the outside, the posts are structurally connected with another'shear panel 23 which is longitudinally stiffened by corrugation 24 or other appropriate stifiening members. The space between the inner web 22 and the outer panel 23 is closed by a U-section profile 25 overlappingly secured-to the' lower margins of the panel and the web and overlappingly" secured to inside and outside of the posts. See Figures 3, 4, 5, and '7.

The side walls are trussstructures inywhich the inner and outer webs 22, 23 together with the U-section 25 constitute the lower chord. in

the form of an upwardly facing deep and narrow V U-section which is vertically stiffened at short f intervals by the posts 2|, 22. This construction .aifords great strength coupled with relatively light weight.

The connection between each side wall unit S and the underframe unit U can easily be made by securing theside wall web 22 in the region of overlap to the outside of the bottom wall [8 of the underframe sill ll. Such connection may be made over most of the length of the body by electric spot welding. 1

At certain intervals between the bolster beams ll, further cross bearers 2B are formed by the aforesaid floor panel with its profiles l4 and by an additional hat section profile 21. See Figures 3 and 7. middle region by its bottom wall 28 to the underside of the center sill' 12, whereas its upwardly and laterally projecting ends have the side walls 29 fit between and secured to two closely spaced webs 30 of the reinforcing profiles l4, as clearly shown in Figure'l. The webs 30 with the adjoining panel portions I3 and the member 21 together form a cross bearer of light weight embracing the center sill I2 at top and bottom. See Figure 3.

The bolster beam II is a closed box section having longitudinally spaced side walls 3|, a bottom wall 32 and a top wall 33. While the bottom wall is substantially horizontally arranged, the top wall slopes downwardly toward its ends.

All four walls of the bolster are connected at' each end by a plate or end wall 34 which projects upwardly beyond the top wall 33 and is reinforced by triangular gussets 35 tied into the top and side walls. See Figures and 6.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the side sills I! of the underframe have their walls 16 cut away at the intersection with the bolsters. On this account, the upper wall I5 and the outer wall 7 l8 of the side sills may be placed over the outside and upper margin of the bolster end wall 34 and connected therewith. Each side wall in its region of overlap with the bolster end wall is strongly reinforced by two closely spaced posts 20 and by brackets and gussets 36. The overlapping portions of side wall, underframe side S111 and bolster end plate 3 3 are strongly interconnected by bolts or rivets 31.

The end corners of the side walls are reinforced by end posts 2! by which they aresecured to the end sills 10. See Figures 1 and 2. 7

The side walls surround door opening 38 which, of course, means a substantial weakening of the side wall trusses. This weakening is, see

Figures 1, 8, and 9, compensated for. along the lower margin of a door opening by a step 39 forming a hollow or box sectional beam extending beyond the posts flanking such opening. The step for one opening comprises longitudinally spaced brackets 40 firmly secured in overlapping relation to the sides of'the lower, ends ofsome of'the posts 20 and, especially beyond the door opening, to similar vertical frame members, in-

This hat section is secured in the dicated at 20' in Figure 9, of the side wall so that the brackets 40 project outwardly beyond the posts and members 20, 20 in a region where the outer shear panel23 is cut away. The top,

5 the outer and the bottom margins of the brackets 40 are structurally connected with metal sheets 4| thereby forming a box sectional beam firmly tied'into the posts and connected with the adjoining portions of the outer shear panel 23 and the bottom rail 25 of the side walls. The top sheet 4|. may have an inner upwardly directed extension 42 which is overlappingly secured to the outside of the web 22 and to the adjoining posts 20 thereby affording additional reinforcement. The lower margin of the side wall is braced in the step region by member 43 diagonally interconnecting the lower margin of the side wall with the underside of the floor structurelil (Figure 8). v 'In regard to the floor structure, it may still be mentioned that two sheets or panels 13 end on the sides of the bolster beam H where they have reinforcing profiles I4 firmly secured to the sides of the bolster. See Figures 5 and 6. The described construction is preferably made throughout of high-tensile sheet metal, preferably of cold-worked austenitic stainless steel,

with the exception of the end underframe membersLmcludingend sill. l0 and bolster beam ll. The sheet metal members are preferably connected throughout by overlap spot weld joints as indicated throughout the drawing in conventional manner by small crosses and by black dots,

respectively. The entire body, composed of side walls, underframe, roof, and end walls, represents a hollow section beam transmitting all stresses and carrying all weight.

One advantage of the construction is also that it permits the door opening to extend downwardly beyond the side sills without cutting into the latter. Such extended door opening affords also maximum toe room on the entrance step.

Certain features disclosed in this application form the subject matter of the inventors appli- 45 cations Cover Panel for Vehicles, Especially Railway Cars, Serial No. 782,001, and End Underframe for Railway Cars, Serial No. 782,000; and of the application Reinforced Shear Web, Especially for Underframes of Railway Cars and 59 Similar Vehicles, of the inventor and Walter B. Dean, Serial No. 782,003, now abandoned, all filed simultaneously with the present application on October 24, 1947. While one embodiment of the invention is shown and described, it should be understood that the invention is susceptible to many modifications which will easily occur to those skilled in the art, and that, therefore, protection is sought for the invention as covered by the spirit 0 and the language of the attached claims.

What is claimed is:- I 1. Side wall' for railway cars in which the sid walls project downwardly beyond the underframe structure, said side wall comprising as a preassembled unit a plurality of longitudinally -spaced vertical posts interconnected on'the in- I side'as well as on the outside by shear panels, Tboth said panels extending-downwardly to the lower ends of the posts, said panel on the inside extending to and terminatingnear the top 'surface of the underframestructure and said panel on'tlie outside'extending upwardly beyond said'panel' on'the inside, said's hear panels con- TStltlltlIlg a lower chord structure and the inner T panel ':by its upper marginalr'egion forming connecting means between the side wall unit and the adjoining margin of the underframe structure.

2. Side wall truss for railway cars comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertical posts having their lower end portions interconnected on the inside as well as on the outside by shear panels, both said panels extending downwardly to the extreme lower ends of the posts, said panel on the inside extending to and terminating near the top surface of an adjoining underframe structure while said panel on the outside extends further up, the space between the lower margins of said shear panels being closed by a longitudinal member made separately from said panels, said shear panels and said member constituting a lower chord structure and the inner panel forming connecting means between the side wall and an adjoining underframe structure.

3. In a railway car comprising side wall units and an underframe unit connected with each other in final assembly, said underframe unit having channel section side sills facing toward the middle of the car and telescoping over the ends of transverse members interconnecting the side sills, each side wall unit comprising longitudinally spaced vertical posts interconnected at least on the inside by a longitudinally extending vertical shear web, the shear web of each side wall overlapping the outside of the bottom wall of one of the underframe side sills, said underframe unit and said side wall units being connected with each other in the regions of overlap of the said shear webs and said bottom walls of the side sills.

4. In a side wall for vehicles, a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertical posts and reinforcing members, brackets secured to at least some of the posts and members, said brackets projecting outwardly beyond the side wall, longitudinally extending metal sheeting bridging the space between and structually secured to said brackets, the brackets and the sheeting forming a step and simultaneously a box section beam reinforcing the side wall structure, said step extending over at least part of the length of said side wall.

5. In a side wall for vehicles, a door opening, vertical door posts on both sides of said opening, brackets secured to said posts and extending outwardly beyond the side wall, said brackets having their outwardly projecting margins covered by and structurally secured to metal sheeting which closes the space between successive brackets and presents a step and simultaneously a box section girder reinforcing the side wall structure where it is weakened by the door opening.

6. In a side wall according to claim 5, having a vertical frame member located in longitudinal direction at a short distance beyond the opening,

a further bracket secured to said frame member, said sheeting extending and being secured to said further bracket so as to extend the girder formed by the step beyond the opening and distribute stresses into portions of the side wall adjoining the opening.

7. In a vehicle underframe comprising side sills, a center sill and a shear panel reinforced by transverse vertical webs, said panel being secured to the top of the center sill and having its ends connected with the side sills, certain of said webs being closely spaced from each other in longitudinal direction, a hollow-section chord structure extending across and secured to the underside of the center sill and having two longitudinally spaced walls at its ends fitted between and secured to said closely spaced webs thereby forming with such webs an effective cross bearer embracing the top and bottom of the center sill.

8. In a vehicle underframe comprising side sills, a center sill and a shear panel reinforced by transverse vertical webs, said panel being secured to the top of the center sill and having its ends connected with the side sills, certain of said webs being closely spaced from each other in longitudinal direction, a chord structure of inverted channel section extending across and being secured by its bottom wall to the underside of the center sill and having its side walls at its ends fitted between and secured to said closely spaced webs thereby forming with such webs and the adjoining portions of the shear panel an effective cross bearer embracing the center sill from top and bottom.

9. In a side wall for vehicles of elongated prismatic shape, such as railway cars, said side wall comprising rigidly inter-connected longitudinal and upright structural members So as to form a main load-sustaining and stress-transmitting element of the vehicle, brackets stress-transmittingly secured to the side wall near its lower margin and projecting outwardly beyond the outer surface of the side wall, said brackets being spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the wall, longitudinally extending metal sheeting bridging the space between and structurally secured to the outwardly projecting surfaces of said brackets, the brackets and the sheeting forming a step and simultaneously a hollow-section beam reinforcing the side wall structure, said step extending at least over part of the length of the side wall.

10. In a side wall for vehicles, a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertical posts and reinforcing members, longitudinally extending webs structurally secured to the lower ends of said posts and members and forming a lower chord structure of the side wall, brackets structurally secured to at least some of the posts and members, said brackets extending outwardly beyond the side wall, longitudinally extending metal sheeting bridging the space between and structurally secured to the outwardly projecting margins of said brackets, the longitudinal margins of said sheeting being secured to said webs, the brackets and the sheeting forming a step and simultaneously with said webs a closed box section beam reinforcing the side wall structure, said step extending over at least a part of the length of the vehicle.

ALBERT G. DEAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 428,081 Evans May 20, 1890 832,623 Pronty Oct. 9, 1906 854,331 Christiansen May 21, 1907 1,081,928 Forsyth Dec. 16, 1913 1,081,942 Beach Dec. 23, 1913 2,132,471 Hoffman Oct. 11, 1938 2,143,547 Dean Jan. 10, 1939 2,250,523 Christiansen et a1. July 29, 1941 2,256,494 Ragsdale et al. Sept. 23, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 47,197 Denmark Feb. 18, 1932 

